Woman breaches Tihar security, turns jail into ‘date spot’
High-level inquiry ordered to probe security lapse
New Delhi: A woman posing as an NGO worker has breached the security of Tihar Jail in order to meet her lover, who is serving a life term at the largest prison complex in South Asia.
Sandeep Goyal, Director General of Prisons, has formed a committee headed by Rajesh Chopra, Deputy Inspector General (Prisons), to conduct a high-level inquiry into the matter. The committee started its investigations on Tuesday.
The committee will look into the “friendly relations” between the woman and the Superintendent of Prison No 2 Ram Mehar and find out how the Delhi woman hatched the plot to enter the high-security facility.
Initial investigation revealed that the woman’s lover, Hemant Garg, was the mastermind behind the plan. Garg has been serving a life sentence in Tihar Jail for many years and for the past two has worked as a computer operator in the office of the Superintendent of Prison No 2.
According to sources, Mehar blindly trusted Garg, so much so that the latter used the office computer for his personal use.
As per the sources in the Directorate General of Prisons, the investigation team is also trying to figure out whether any confidential information related to the prison has been leaked from Mehar’s computer.
Underworld don Chhota Rajan, convicted criminal and former MP Mohammad Shahabuddin and Delhi gangster Neeraj Bawana are lodged in Prison No 2.
“It is a case of serious negligence. Once the investigation committee submits its report, it will be clear who is responsible for the negligence. Strict action will be taken against the person involved so that in future no one dares to breach its security,” Goyal said.